Using Physical Dice for Same Room Gaming?

[libertechian]

I might go play with the XML, but is there a quick and easy way to let players roll real dice and then type the result into FG instead of rolling the virtual dice?

I'm going to see if I can make a popup or something that asks for the die results, but still adds the modifiers automatically.

Using PC with duel screens and a laptop for a digital DM screen :D and a HDTV hooked up to my HTPC to show the masked map to the players. I'm using the virtual dice, but they have "lucky" dice they don't want to part with.

Thanks!

[libertechian]

Okay, Looking around.

If I can change the die scripts so that a d20 is not automatically added to the "roll" when a power is used, I can simply put the players die roll in as a modifier. For the powers of my NPC's etc, I should be able to somehow add a +1d20 to the powers description.

I'm barely starting to study Java, so XML and Lua are completely new to me. Any Ideas? I assume FG2 can be setup for non d20 systems

[libertechian]

I've changed the 4e scripts as above. Mostly
If anyone wants a copy, let me know.

[Sigurd]

How are you finding game play with your scripts?


Seems like a whole lot of extra work. For the record, I think the FG dice are at least roughly as random as the real thing.

[Griogre]

I'm kinda of curious about that too. I know if I had players physically rolling dice and everyone was in the same room, I probably would not bother to use the combat tracker at all.

[Sigurd]

Well I can see his point if the tracker is going to do some of the thinking for him. Round effects, order, monster attacks and defenses - there are things the tracker keeps 'track' of.

Die prompt for each attack might be elegant in some situations. Recreating exact battles with alternate monsters for example.

I don't know that I'd use an extension like this but some people obviously would.


Sigurd

[jdigaetano]

I realize this is an old thread, but I'm intensely curious about what the OP did and how it worked out.

I operate similarly, I run the client on a PC projecting the display onto my tabletop. My players do not roll dice in Fantasy Grounds, so the combat tracker is a highly functional table tracker for us (and for them since they can see up to date information on the table for everything in the combat.)

I use the monsters to roll hits and damage against them (though I still call out the AC because they may have situation modifiers up that I failed to take into account.)

However they roll their own hits, applying their own modifiers and call their AC and I give them results. Then I use the /die command to generate a number I can drop on the monsters Wnds column.

This mostly works great except that the damage has no source and therefore no types. I have to handle adjusting manually for all the DR and Resists. This sounds like no big deal but it can lead to a lot of errors.

It sure would be great if there was some way to input the results of a characters specific damage roll while retaining all the type information from the attack.

I have no experience with extensions or the scripting or anything. I'd be willing to explore these but wouldn't turn down a nudge in the right direction if someone has something similar going that might make a good example.

[JohnD]

OP's Last Activity: September 26th, 2010 so I doubt we'll get an answer from him.

[Moon Wizard]

That's essentially how I do it when I run my annual F2F game. (both 3.5E and 4E)

I use the combat tracker to track initiative, make creature attacks and damage, and apply wounds to creatures. I have a second monitor showing a player client connected to the host for handouts and combat tracker sharing.

Cheers,
JPG

[Bidmaron]

Is anyone using a flat screen mounted horizontally for the map display? Anyone tried both this and a projector and have any views on what's better? Seems like the projector would leave shadows when people are moving their minis/pawns. To run a client on another computer, you have to make a bogus character with which to share the maps/handouts.

[Trenloe]

To run a client on another computer, you have to make a bogus character with which to share the maps/handouts.
You don't need a bogus character if you will just be doing normal map/story entry sharing. You'd only need a bogus character if you wanted to share just with that character (click-drag image/story entry to the character portrait).

[Bidmaron]

Of course. If you share all, it goes to everyone even if they don't have a character.

No reply on the horizontal flat screen. Guess no one's doing that. Seems preferable to dealing with the shadow problem when you use a projector.

[Booker Grimm]

I use a second monitor connected to my laptop. I join my own hosted game so that the group can see the map and character tokens. They physically roll attack and damage dice, as well as adding their modifiers. I just drop the total damage into the CT wounds section.

We've only just started doing it this way, and it's working very well. Combat is reasonable fast and exciting. And my players get the thrill of rolling dice! :)